title: Selecting the most appropriate inferential statistical test for your quantitative research study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the issues and processes relating to the selection of the most appropriate statistical test. A review of the basic research concepts together with a number of clinical scenarios is used to illustrate this.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Quantitative nursing research generally features the use of empirical data which necessitates the selection of both descriptive and statistical tests. Different types of research questions can be answered by different types of research designs, which in turn need to be matched to a specific statistical test(s).
  
  
  METHODS
  Discursive paper.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper discusses the issues relating to the selection of the most appropriate statistical test and makes some recommendations as to how these might be dealt with.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When conducting empirical quantitative studies, a number of key issues need to be considered. Considerations for selecting the most appropriate statistical tests are discussed and flow charts provided to facilitate this process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When nursing clinicians and researchers conduct quantitative research studies, it is crucial that the most appropriate statistical test is selected to enable valid conclusions to be made.
authors.affiliation: Teesside University, Institute of Health and Social Care, Middlesbrough, UK.
authors.forename: Josette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bettany-Saltikov
authors.forename: Victoria Jane
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Whittaker
mesh_terms: D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D015399:Nursing Research; D012107:Research Design
keywords: inferential; quantitative; selecting; statistical test